SO CONFUSED!!!! With natural sweeteners! ??????

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amandavictoria80
amandavictoria80 Posts: 734 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone!

OK. SO I am really confused. I recently purchased some natural sweeteners that I heard about on Dr. Oz. But now that they have arrived, I am very confused. These items are Buckwheat Honey (supposed to be good for sweetening hot drinks), Agave Necter (for cold things) and Date Sugar.
The problem is, these natural sweeteners are actually higher in calories, carbs and sugar that my regular refined white sugar. For example, I used Buckwheat Honey in my coffee this morning and it cost me 60 calories, 17 carbs and 16 sugar. This seems excessive! And the Agave Necter is 80 calories. Wow.

Is anyone familiar with this products? I would like to return what I can but I've already opened the Buckwheat Honey. But I could return Agave Necter and Date Sugar. Although I have to admit, I am REALLY curious what the Date Sugar tastes like. It almost looks like brown sugar. Date Sugar is supposed to be mostly for baking.
Has anyone tried Date Sugar???

Hope someone can help me. :) How can these be a smart idea when they are higher in calories, etc.?

Thanks!!!

Replies

  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
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    i dont know much about those ones . i started using raw honey because its supposed to be good for you. so far im enjoying natural sugar in my coffee. we will see how it helps because im only on day four with it ., i gave up the fake sugar substitutes because i heard they were bad for you.. nice to know after ive consumed myself in them the last two years .. i know one thing..my headaches went away
  • Jessmoylan3
    Jessmoylan3 Posts: 2 Member
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    Have you tried Stevia? Very low cal, natural and a little goes a ling way! Here's an article about it:
    http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Article.aspx?Id=2269
  • KimAggie04
    KimAggie04 Posts: 165 Member
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    I am curious what responses you receive.

    I think the Agave Necter has a lower Glycemic Index which means your blood sugar level doesn't spike as quickly as normal sugar. Someoone please correct me if I am wrong. I just started looking into this recently.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,023 Member
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    Don't be misled thinking extracting the sugars from these products are somehow better or healthier, because their not. Agave has been popular because of it's low insulin effect on blood sugars........blah, blah, blah...........just count your refined sugars from whatever source and if you want to consume the ones with more calories so be it.
  • Tara4boys
    Tara4boys Posts: 515 Member
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    I love Agave nectar in my oatmeal and in smoothies. Low glycemic index is important to me b/c I have blood sugar problems (hypoglycemia - low blood sugar). It may be same calories but your body is producing less insulin which probably means less fat storage. Also sugar molecules are physically like jagged pieces of glass in your body - creating inflammation. Inflammation brings about all kinds of bad stuff.

    Stevia (brand name Truvia or Sun Crystals) is supposed to be a good no calorie sweetener because it comes from an herb also it is closer to the sweetness of sugar. It is 30 times sweeter than sugar which sounds like a lot but Splenda is 700x sweeter. It is that ultra sweetness that studies are showing messed with our brain making us crave more sweets. I am trying my best to kick my aspartame habit and I have to say my cravings have been less. Vitamin Water Zero uses Truvia as its sweetener. I'm using it right now as I give up my Coke Zeros and Crystal Light. Hoping to make transition to just water but baby steps. :)
  • 0PhAtDaDdY
    0PhAtDaDdY Posts: 569 Member
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    Check out Stevia and Truvia?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Sugar is sugar. The only reason to choose these products over artificial sweeteners or white sugar is that they are natural and not processed. Some natural sugars, such as molasses, also contain nutrients but they are still sugar and will have the same effect on your body and weight that white sugar does.

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